Holding device for lamp-shade frames



May 15, 1934. J. A. WATRAL HOLDING DEVICE FOR LAMP SHADE FRAMES FiledNov. 7, 1933 I N VEN TOR. 24 fidfrd] ATTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1934 UEE TABS HOLDING DEVICE FOR LAMP-SHADE FRAMES 2Claims.

This invention relates to lamp-shade frames and more particularly to aconstruction for securing a lamp-shade frame to an electric lightsocket.

The principal objects of the present invention are to improve theconstruction of the holding devices for lamp-shade frames and to producea holding device which is simplified in construction and less expensiveto manufacture than prior constructions and which will hold a shadeframe securely and firmly to a lamp socket.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in a holdingdevice for lamp-shade frames embodying the novel and improvedconstruction hereinafter described and particularly defined in theclaims, the advantages of which will be readily understood andappreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawingillustrating a construction embodying the invention in its preferredform and the following detailed description of the construction thereinshown.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a constructionembodying the invention applied to a lamp-shadeframe;

Figure 2 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in sectionsubstantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 illustrating a lamp socket andholding bar secured together; and

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the construction shown in Figure2 looking from the right.

The construction illustrated in the drawing comprises an electric lightsocket indicated at 2 having the usual tubular projection or boss 4 intowhich is threaded a set screw 6. The socket is formed with a shoulder 7having an outer fiat face 8 and located at the base of the boss 4.

The set screw 6 is provided with a head which projects beyond theperipheral surface of the boss 4 in all adjustments of the screw.

The construction for securing a shade frame to the socket comprises abar indicated at 9. This bar is provided with aligned arms 10 and a loop12 between said arms formed by bending the bar in an are considerablygreater than a semicircle. This loop is connected with the arms 10 bycurved portions 11 of the bar as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. Thusthe loop is provided with an opening 13 for. the passage of the lightcord and the head of the screw 6 in applying the bar to a lamp socket.

It has been heretofore proposed to secure a lampshade socket to alampshade frame by means of a looped wire but my invention differs fromthe prior art devices with which I am familiar by providing aconstruction which, while possessing the necessary rigidity, may beproduced at a considerable saving in cost.

It is to be noted that the light sockets intended to be used withlampshade holders of my invention and also those of the prior art are ofstandard construction and the distance between the surface 8 of theshoulder 7 and the screw 6, Fig ure 2, is a fixed one and is quitesmall. This imposes a limitation on the thickness of any holder designedto engage the socket between the shoulder 7 and the screw 6.

There is also a further limitation which must be given consideration. Itis important that the bar 9 be rigid enough to constitute a firm supportfor the light socket. To this end it must be made of stock of relativelyheavy gauge. In devices of the prior art using a looped wire for thesocket support, this necessity of using stock of comparatively largegauge has also made it necessary to specially treat the loop to give itsuch shape in cross-section to enable sufficient stock to enter betweenthe shoulder 7 and the screw 6 when the socket is turned in relation tothe loop.

In the construction shown in the present application, I have taken intoaccount the limitations set forth above.

To this end the bar 9 is made of sufliciently heavy stock to give therequired rigidity to the frame, and the loop is formed with a fiat face14, which fiat face is adapted to engage the flat face of the shoulder 7to locate the frame properly with relation to the lamp socket. The looppossesses somewhat of a wedge shape in crosssection as clearly shown inFigure 2 and sufiicient stock enters between the shoulder 7 and thescrew 6 to give a firm support to the socket.

Although a loop which is semi-circular in cross-section is shown as thepreferred construction, some modification of this shape may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any ofthe advantages thereof. For instance, the loop may be oval incross-section or even triangular so long as there is a wedge-likeportion presented to the screw head.

In applying the bar 9 to a lamp socket, the lamp cord is passedlaterally through the opening 13 and the boss 4 on the socket isinserted axially through the loop 12 of the bar, the screw 6 beingplaced in position to pass through the opening 13 in this operation asshown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3. The bar 9 is placed with theflat face 14 in the loop 12 in engagement with the fiat face 8 of theshoulder 7 and the bar is then turned about the axis of the socket intoa position such as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 3. During thisturning movement, the loop portion of the bar is forced against the headof the screw 6 between the same and the shoulder 7 and is pressedagainst the flat face 8 of said shoulder. The portion of the loopengaged by the head of the screw is also forced radially outwardly to aslight degree and the opposite side of the loop is thereby drawn overtightly against the boss 4. These actions serve to secure the loopportion 12 of the bar firmly to the lamp socket with the fiat face 14 ofsaid loop portion in engagement with the face 8 of the shoulder '7.

To remove the bar from the lamp socket the bar is first turned about theaxis of the socket to bring the head of the screw 6 into position in theopening 13 and the socket and the bar 9 are then moved relativelyaxially of the. socket to disengage the boss 4 from the loop portion 12of the bar 9.

The bar 9 is secured to a lamp shade frame 16 so as to form a part ofsaid frame. As shown in Figure 1, the arms 10 of the bar are secured toside members of the shade frame. This may be done in any well-knownmanner as by soldering, welding or clamping.

The above-described devices for securing a lamp-shade frame to a lightsocket are extremely simple in construction and inexpensive tomanufacture. The construction described enables .a lamp-shade frame tobe quickly and easily secured to and removed from a standard lightsocket and no changes in the light socket construction are required.

By adjusting the set screw 6, the force exerted by the screw on the loopportion of the bar 9 may be regulated.

While the bar 9 of semi-circular cross-section may be made at relativelysmall expense from a bar of circular cross-section by machining offsubstantially half of the bar on one side of the axis thereof, inpractice the bar 9 would be made from stock which may be purchased inhalf-round or even triangular form directly from the mill. It then needsto be merely cut to the proper length and shaped to the required form.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustratedembodiment of the invention but that this embodiment is merelyillustrative of the invention and that the invention may be embodied inother forms within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and havingspecifically described a construction embodying the invention in itspreferred form, what is claimed is:-

l. A construction for securing together a lamp shade and a light socket,said socket provided with a cylindrical axially arranged boss with ashoulder adjacent the base of said boss and a set screw threadedtransversely into said boss, said screw having a head projecting beyondthe peripheral surface of the boss, said construction comprising a barhaving an arcuate portion, the arc of which is greater than asemi-circle for encircling said boss, a fiat face on said arcuateportion for engagement with said shoulder and an outer face on saidarcuate portion arranged to be engaged with the head of the screw byrelative turning of the bar and said socket to secure the bar to thesocket, the thickness of the arcuate portion of the bar being slightlygreater than the distance between the shoulder of the boss and the screwhead.

2. A bar adapted to be secured to a lampshade for supporting a lightsocket, said bar having a centrally located arcuate loop having a flatface, the outer surface of said loop meeting the flat face'thereof so asto form a wedge.

JOHN A. WATRAL.

